Do you dread going to work every day? Do you give your best every day? Would you run through a wall for your employer? For your boss? Most people answer no to all of these questions. A big reason for this is one’s boss. Some businesses send their managers to leadership training to check it off their list of activities, believing that will make a difference. But, they don’t follow up and hold those managers accountable for what they learned.

This is a big deal because, in the business world, where the pace of change is accelerating, the need for strong, empathetic, and adaptable leaders has never been greater. Yet, many companies make the critical mistake of believing that sending their employees to a few leadership courses is sufficient to transform them into effective leaders.

Take Husks Unlimited (former client), a thriving food production company experiencing consistent growth. On the surface, everything seems to be going well. Sales are increasing, production is expanding, and the company is carving out a strong position in its market. However, beneath this success lies a significant problem: a leadership gap within its management ranks.

Leadership Without Impact: A Case Study

The warehouse manager at Husks Unlimited is a prime example. Despite attending leadership training courses, he routinely shouts at his team and belittles them. His toxic management style fosters a culture of fear and disengagement, ultimately undermining team morale and productivity. The disconnect here is glaring: the training didn’t translate into action.

This scenario highlights a harsh truth—leadership training alone does not create future leaders. Why? Because leadership is not merely about acquiring knowledge; it’s about embodying values, demonstrating emotional intelligence, and fostering trust and collaboration.

More importantly, the company doesn’t have the culture of leadership that should hold him accountable.

The Three Core Gaps in Leadership Training

1. Behavioral change requires accountability. Leadership training often focuses on knowledge transfer—teaching theories, frameworks, and strategies. While valuable, knowledge alone doesn’t lead to behavioral change. Knowing what good leadership looks like isn’t enough for someone like the warehouse manager. Without accountability, there’s no mechanism to ensure he practices what he’s learned.
2. Leadership is rooted in emotional intelligence. Great leaders understand how to manage their emotions and empathize with others. This is where many training programs fall short—they fail to help participants develop self-awareness and emotional regulation. In Husks Unlimited’s case, the manager’s inability to control his temper and communicate respectfully shows a lack of emotional intelligence, which no training certificate can fix without deeper, sustained development.
3. Culture shapes leaders more than courses. Leadership training can’t thrive in a vacuum. If an organization tolerates toxic behavior or fails to prioritize leadership at all levels, even the most comprehensive training will have minimal impact. At Husks Unlimited, the culture likely enables—or at least doesn’t address—the warehouse manager’s behavior. Without a culture of accountability and support, any leadership training initiative will fall flat.

Building Future Leaders: A Holistic Approach

To truly develop future leaders, businesses must go beyond sending employees to workshops and seminars. Here’s what it takes:

1. Create a leadership culture. Organizations must prioritize leadership as a core value, starting from the top. Leaders should model the behavior they expect from others—respect, accountability, and empathy. When leadership is woven into the company culture, it becomes a shared expectation rather than an optional skill.
2. Pair training with real-time coaching. Knowledge needs reinforcement to translate into action. One way to do this is through mentorship and coaching. For the warehouse manager at Husks Unlimited, working with an experienced leader who can provide feedback and guidance could make a significant difference.
3. Implement systems of accountability. Regular performance evaluations, 360-degree feedback, and clear consequences for toxic behavior are crucial. If Husks Unlimited held its managers accountable for their leadership behaviors—not just their performance metrics—the warehouse manager would be incentivized to change.
4. Focus on emotional intelligence development. Teaching self-awareness, empathy, and conflict resolution should be as important as teaching operational strategies. Role-playing scenarios, mindfulness exercises, and emotional intelligence assessments can be powerful tools to build these skills.
5. Align leadership development with company goals. Leadership training should be tied to the company’s vision and objectives. At Husks Unlimited, for instance, a growth trajectory requires leaders who can inspire and engage their teams during times of change. Tailoring training to these needs ensures greater relevance and impact.

The Cost of Neglecting Leadership

If Husks Unlimited doesn’t address its leadership gap, it risks more than unhappy employees—it risks operational inefficiency, higher turnover, and a weakened competitive edge. On the other hand, investing in a holistic leadership development strategy will not only elevate the company’s performance but also create a positive, thriving workplace.

Bottom line: Does leadership training work? Yes, when the organization holds people accountable. Leadership training is a tool, not a silver bullet. For businesses like Husks Unlimited, creating future leaders means going beyond courses to build a culture of leadership, accountability, and emotional intelligence. It requires embedding leadership into the fabric of the organization so that every manager, at every level, becomes a catalyst for growth—not just for the company but for their teams as well.

Leadership isn’t a certificate you earn—it’s a way of being that inspires others to do their best work. And that can only be achieved through intentional, ongoing effort.